Latch mechanism



Oct. 15, 1929. J. LEDWINKA 1,731,581

LATCH MECHANISM Filed Feb. 3, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l a 4] I 15 171 j 5 20 17 21 10 g0 59 34 W 11 I l/ I l/ r 15 3 6 38 25 INVENTOR. F1 6 334 JOSEPH LEpw/N/rA A TTORNE Y.

Oct. 15, 1929.

J. LEDWINKA 1,731,581

LATCH MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 3, 1922 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH LEDW/NKA ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT! OFFICE BUDD MANUFACTURING PORA'IION. OF PENNSYLVANIA COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA, A 003- LATCH MECHANISM Application filed February 8, 1922. Serial No. 538,847.

This invention relates to improvements'in latch mechanism and has to ,do, more particularly, with latch mechanism of the type adapted for use on automobile doors.

My present invention relates to improvements in the mechanism described and claimed in my pending application for Letters Patent for latch mechanism, Serial No. 496,042, filed August 27th, 1921, to which application cross-reference is hereby made.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide a latch mechanism, of the general type of my prior application and having the advantageous features thereof, which may be locked to prevent the retraction of the latch bolt by unauthorized persons.

A further object of my present invention is to provide improved means. for actuating the sliding follower in a latch mechanism of the type described.

Another object of my present invention is to provide means for actuating the sliding follower, in a latch mechanism of this type, either by a pivoted operating lever or by a rotatable roll-back.

Another object of my present invention is to provide an improved construction of sliding follower for use in a latch mechanism of the type described.

Another object of my present invention is to provide an improved connection between the sliding follower and the swinging latch bolt of such a nature as to facilitate the assembly of the latch mechanism.

Further objects, and objects relating to details and economies of construction and operation, will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow. I accomplish, in one instance, the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in the followin speci cation. My invention is clearly de ned and pointed out in the appended claims. A structure constituting a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a latch mechanism embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 isa plan view of the mechanism with the retaining plates removed.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view, corresponding to a portion of Fig. 2, and showing the dead bolt projected to lock the follower against withdrawal.

Fig. 5 is a detail, sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2, and showing the cylinder lock, and

Fig. 6 is a detail, sectional View taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to identical parts throughout the several views, and the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the arrows at the ends of the section lines.

In general, my invention consists in providing a latch bolt, which is pivotally mounted to swing into and out of locking position, and which is actuated by a sliding follower or bolt-operating member ,mounted to slide rectilinearly in a direction tangential to the arc of swing of the latch bolt and in a direction perpendicular to the axis around which the latch bolt swings. The area of surface contact of the sliding follower is reduced so as to reduce the friction due to the sliding movement'of the follower and the pressure applied by the keeper to the latch bolt, in closing the door, is translated into a force acting in the direction of movement of the sliding follower so that there is no tendency, as in the usual sliding-bolt construction, to press the sliding follower towards one of the parts on'which it slides, thus increasing the frictional resistance to the withdrawal of the follower. According to one feature of my invention, I provide means for locking the sliding follower against movement so that it cannot be moved to retract the latch until the lock is released. This locking mechanism may comprise a sliding bolt which, in proected position, engages a part of the follower and prevents its movement. This sliding lock bolt may be moved to and from its projected or looking position by any suitable means, for instance, y actuatlng means operated by a manually-controlled spindle, or by actuating means operated by a spindle controlled by the cylinder of a cylinder lock,

in the well-known manner, or, both such actuating means or their equivalents may be provided.

In accordance with another feature of my invention, I provide a pivoted operating lever arranged to engage the sliding follower to withdraw the same. A spring may be pro vided engaging the follower to normally project the same and another spring may be provided engaging said lever to yieldingly hold it in normal position while the sliding follower may be retracted by other means. One convenient arrangement is shown, in which the operating lever engages a laterally-extending arm on the follower and the latter has a notch, in the inner side thereof, through which the operating lever extends. In some cases, particularly when the latch mechanism is to be used on closed cars, it is also desirable to provide means by which the latch can be retracted by means of a handle on the outside of the door. In such case, I may provide the sliding follower with a second arm engaged by a rotatable roll-back actuated by a suitable spindle carrying such handle.

Another feature of my invention consists in a simple connection etween the sliding follower and the swinging latch bolt of such a nature that the two parts may be connected or disconnected very quickly and easily. The latch bolt may have a cross-pin, or similar part, received in an open notch in the forward end of the sliding follower so that the two parts may be disconnected by swinging the follower, around this cross-pin as a pivot, to a position substantially perpendicular to its normal position.

In the drawings accompanying this application, I have illustrated a'latch mechanism which constitutes one embodiment of my in vention. Referring to the numbered parts of these drawings, it will be seen that this latch mechanism comprises a base plate, 10, having a laterally-extending flange 11, at one edge thereof, said flange being provided with an opening, 12, through which the latch bolt swings. The latch bolt is pivoted on a pin, 13, carried by the base plate, and has a front face, 14, WhlCll lies in a plane parallel to a radial plane containing the axis of the pin, 13, and a curved end face, 15, the surface of which constitutes part of a cylinder coaxial with the pin, 13. The latch bolt is hollow, having the rearwardly opening recess, 16, therein, and the cross pin, 17, extends across this recess, being supported at its ends by the side walls of the latch bolt.

The swinging latch bolt is actuated and controlled by a sliding bolt-operating member or follower, 18, having a notch, 19, in its rear face, that is, the face next to the base plate, 10, on which the follower is mounted to slide. The forward end of the follower is offset, at 20, and extends within the hollow latch bolt, being provided with an open notch,

21, which receives the cross pin, 17 This forms a very simple connection between the sliding follower and the swinging latch bplt and t e two parts may be disconnected by swinging the follower around the pin, 17, as a pivot, to a position at right angles to its normal position, that is, at right angles to the plane of the base plate, 10. The follower, 18, is provided with a pair of laterallyextending arms, 22 and 23, the former located at the rear end of the notch, 19, and the latter at the forward end of said notch. The olfset portion, 20, of the follower has a shoulder, 24, formed in one side thereof, for engagement by the dead bolt, as will be described presently. The sliding follower, 18, is guided upon the base plate, 10, by the lugs, 40, struck up from the base plate, (see Fi 2) and by the stud, 56, on the follower whic works in a slot, 57, of the base plate. The follower is held in working relation to the base plate by the L-shaped retaining plate, 25, which-is secured in spaced relation to the base plate by the screws, 26, passing through the perforated depressions or bosses, 39. These depressions or bosses, 39, formed in the retaining plate, 25, serve to space it from the base plate.

A curved operating lever, 28, is pivoted to the base plate on the pin, 27 and extends between the follower, 18, and the base plate, 10, lying in the notch, 19, of the follower. This curved operating lever, 28, usually extends upwardly through the upper edge portion of the door, where it may be conveniently grasped to operate the latch. A spring, 29, mounted on the post, 30, has its free end in engagement w1th the rear edge of the lever, 28, and presses the latter forwardly into its normal position determined by the engage: ment of the lever with the stop, 38, pressed up from the base plate, 10. The rear edge 0 the lever, 28, is in enga ement-with the upper end of the arm, 22, o the sliding follower, so that a movement its pivot away from the stop, 38, retracts or withdraws the follower, 1'8, and conse quently the swingin latch bolt connected thereto. However, t e space 19, permits a retracting movement of the follower, 18, in- I dependently of the operating lever, 28.

The hub, 32, of a rotatable roll-back, 34, is journaled 1n an opening, 31, in the retaining plate, 25, and in a similar opening (not shown in line therewith in the base plate, 10. he hub, 32, of the roll-back, has a square opening, 33, extending therethrough, adapted to receive a square spindle, 33, to which an operating handle, 34, may be connected. The forward edge of the roll-back,

'34, engages the flange, 11, of the base plate,

which, acts as a stop limiting the motion of the roll-back in one direction. The rear edge of the roll-back, 34, engages the upper end of the arm, 23, of the sliding follower,

of the lever on so that, when the roll-back is rotated, the follower is retracted against the tension or pressure of a spring, 36, mounted on post, 35, and having its free end, 37, engaging the rear face of the arm, 23, of said follower. This spring serves to yieldingly press the follower forwardly into projected position so as to yieldingly project the swinging latch bolt connected to the forward end of the follower.

I also provide means for dogging or locking the follower to prevent movement thereof, so as to maintain the swinging latch bolt in projected osition and prevent the retraction or with rawal of such latch bolt by an unauthorized erson. Such locking means com rises a sliding lock bolt, 41, which is gui ed in its movement upon the latch plate by an ear, 43, workin in the slot, 42, formed in the latch plate, an a pin, 46, on the latch plate, working in a slot, 45, of the bolt, 41. The locking nose, 44, of the sliding bolt, 41, is adapted to engage behind the shoulder, 24, of the sliding follower, to prevent the withdrawal of the latter when the sliding bolt, 41, is in projected position. This sliding locking bolt, 41, may be controlled in us movement to and from locking or projected position in a large number of ways. In the embodiment illustrated, the bolt, 41, has a slot, 47, in which works a pin, 48, carried eccentrically by a plate, 49, which may be rotated by a spindle extending through the base plate, 10, and carrying a thumb piece, 50. The sliding bolt is also provided with a notch or opening, 51, of irregular shape, in which works a pin, 52, carried eccentrically by a disc, 53, on a c lindrical member, 54, the latter being provi ed with a square opening, 55, adapted to receivea square s indle, 59, connected to or actuated by the cy inder, 60, of a cylinder lock in the usual manner. The sliding bolt, 41, and the actuating parts therefor, are covered by the retaining plate, 58, which is fastened to the base plate and provided with a journal or hearing for the cylinder, 54. It will be seen that the sliding bolt, 41, may be moved to or from its projected position either by rotating the thumb piece, 50, or by rotating the cylinder, 54, and disc, 53, by means of the key-controlled cylinder look (not shown).

From the description of the parts of this latch mechanism, given above, its operation should be very clearly understood. The sliding follower may be dogged or locked against movement by the sliding lock bolt, 41, which latter may be actuated in the manner ust described. When the door carrying the latch mechanism is swung to closed position, the front face, 14, of the swinging latch bolt, engages the keeper, (not shown) and this engagement causes the latch bolt to swing on its pivot, forcingl the sliding follower move rearwardly, t at is, towards the left 1n Figs.

1, 2 and 3, against the pressure of springs, 36, which engages the rear face of the arm, 23, on the follower. It will be seen that this swinging movement of the latch bolt translates the pressure exerted on it by the keeper into a force acting rectilinearly in the direction of movement of the sliding follower and no side pressures are set H which would cause the sliding follower to ind and would increase the frictional resistance offered to its movement. When the latch bolt and the sliding follower are retracted by engagement with the keeper, in this manner, the arm, 22, moves awa from the lever, 28, and spring, 29, holds the atter against the stop, 38, under spring pressure, so that it is prevented from rattling.

The swinging latch bolt may be manually retracted either by means of the pivoted oper-- atin lever, 28, or by means of the rotatable rollack, 34. The upper end of the lever, 28,

usually extends through the upper portion of the door, at the inner side thereof, and may be used to retract the latch bolt from within the automobile, while the spindle which controls the roll-back, 34, usually carries a handle on the outside of the door by which the swin ing latch bolt may be retracted from outsi e the automobile.

The particular latch mechanism which I have illustrated in the accompanying draw ings, for the purpose of describing one embodiment of my invention, may be varied and changed considerably without departing from the spirit of my invention and, there'- fore, I am not to be restricted to the details thereof except as limited by claims.

-Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mechanism of the class described comprising a latch plate, a swingin latch bolt pivotally mounted thereon, sai latch bolt eing hollow, a cross pin extending between the side walls of said latch bolt and carried thereby, a retaining plate fastened 'to the latch plate, and a sliding follower mounted betweensaid latch and retaining plates to move rectilinearly in a direction perpendicularv to the axis of said latch bolt, the forward end of said follower projectin into the hollow latch bolt and being provi ed with an open notch presenting away from the latch plate,-in which said cross pin is positioned, whereby, when the retaining plate is removed, the follower may be turned at right angles to the latch plate and disconnected from the latch bolt.

2. A mechanism of the class described comprising a latch plate, a swinging latch bolt pivotally mounted thereon, a slidlng follower pivotally connected to said latch bolt and mounted to move rectilinearly in a direction perpendicular to the axis of said latch bolt, and cooperating slot and stud means on said the appended .latch plate and follower respectively for insuring ali ent of said follower with respect to said latch bolt.

3. A mechanism of the class described comprising a latch plate, a swingin latch bolt" pivotally mounted thereon, sai latch bolt eing hollow, a cross pin extending between the side walls of saidlatch bolt and carried thereby, said cross pin bein s aced from said latch plate with the latch E0 t pivot pin disposed between said cross pin and latch plate, and a follower slidably mounted on said latch plate having means for detachable connection with said cross pin.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

JOSEPH LEDWINKA. 

